Left for dead
I stopped to rest and check my blood sugar by Alpine Falls only to find that my BS tester wasn't working. I've had this happen to me before, so I just checked the code chip and reinserted a test strip. Still no dice. So I checked the battery in the back and still it just reported error. So I gave up.
I'd hiked about 6 miles in and I had rode my bike about 5 miles the evening before, so I deserved these Peanut M&Ms despite a blood sugar reading or not. Funny thing was that when I was zipping my tester closed, I noticed some dates on the test strip bottle. So I pulled them out and noticed an expiration date. I though to myself "You must be having a low right now because that's crazy". Test strips with and expiration date! What in the hell.
But even after sitting there eating (and enjoying thoroughly) some M&Ms, I was right. These damned test strips had an expiration date on them!
This is a new meter that I've been trying out and I've liked it very much. It gets me a reading in about 4 seconds and it's fairly compact and very much like my old meter. But I am also an independent person who does not let anything limit him. I only encourage friends to get up early and go snowboarding or hiking or climbing before I head home to rest before getting up and going solo. I don't mind going the extra distance, even if it is by myself. But I've always expected my expensive meters and medication to work. I've always needed them too.
But not today. These new test strips stopped working after a certain date (just like my pancreas) while my diabetes continued on with me in the woods by myself. Luckily I was only 6 miles from my car and this was an extremely easy morning hike. I hadn't set out to go for a big peak in the area because I had been riding my road bike so much.
And apparently it was a good call on my part. I made it back to my car fine and when I got home I immediately sat down to write Accu-Check a letter voicing my concern and disappointment.
It's been two weeks now and I still haven't heard anything from them. I made it to Hyalite Lake that day and it was beautiful. I was glad to be alive, just not stoked to be diabetic.
I've been a type 1 diabetic for - lets see - five days now.
Went for a walk on Sunday in the coldish dampish weather - nothing dramatic - and got the glucometer out at lunch time and it wouldn't work. It kept saying E - - 1 (Accucheck, strips can't be out of date already surely?).
Got home and it worked again perfectly.
Do i take it from this post that Glucometers refusing to work is quite unusual, and for the most part people manage fine with them outside? - 'cos obviously if taht's going to be a regular occurence it's going to be trouble....
Thanks
Liz
To echo catd and sarhow, I have also had problems with meters in the cold weather - even when carried in inside chest pockets. I've yet to come up with a solution for this, so I would be interested to hear from anyone who can suggest a sure fire way to keep the meter at a working temperature.
Raising money for Diabetes UK by doing the national 3 peaks http://www.justgiving.co.uk/carl-sprake
The only real problem I've had is in cold temperatures. I use a onetouch ultra II - it's small and it seems to work pretty well at altitudes over 10,000 feet. It is a little grumpy when it's cold out, though. I find I have to hold it under an armpit for several minutes before it perks up.
Cat
I've had cold and damp weather wreak havoc with my supplies-- meters, CGMS, etc. I switched to freestyle, which seem to handle it better than some other meters (one meter didn't even work in my house in the winter-- too cold at 62 degrees!), but I've still had problems in the rain or camping in the rain/cold. Try another meter.
I'm new to this site so only just read your story. I had the same thing and was staggered but I did find a way round it. I simply took the battery out and put it back in again. When I switch tester on I have to set the time and date so I set the date to a year before and then when I put my strip in it didn't recognize it as being out of date. You've probably worked that out by now.
Nick Fit
Hmmmmm. Error just based on expired test strips? I've seen whacky numbers from expired test strips, but an actual error code? Good reminder to check those strip dates.
Welcome to the website.
dp